U’s season not Dunne just yet, says Joe
CAMBRIDGE manager Joe Dunne will not let his players put their feet up after they fell to defeat at the hands of Newport.
Mickey Demetriou pounced to give the hosts a first-half lead before Frank Nouble took them out of sight just before the hour mark.
George Maris made Newport sweat in the final ten minutes but his goal could not stop Cambridge from slipping into 13th, and Dunne was left fuming at their feeble performance.
“We were a shadow of the team we have been in the past weeks,” said the U’s boss.
“They were first to everything. We only turned up in the last ten minutes.
“We don’t want to be performing like that in-front of our own fans next week.
“I won’t accept that type of performance. We’ll have to see if we give them a day off this week - probably not.
“It’s very disappointing we’re ending our last away game with a performance like that. I won’t accept it. No chance.”
Newport could have gone ahead in the fourth minute if it wasn’t for a sharp reaction save from Cambridge goalkeeper Dimitar Mitov to smartly deny Ben Tozer’s half-volley.
The hosts continued to pile on the pressure until the breakthrough finally came in the 26th minute.
Tozer’s long throw was met by Mark O’Brien who headed the ball down for defensive partner Demetriou to poke home from four yards out to make it 1-0.
Mike Flynn sent Aaron Collins on ten minutes into the second-half and the 20year-old made an instant impact.
He surged down the wing and delivered a pinpoint cross for Nouble to volley his tenth goal of the season at the back post.
Billy Waters teed up Maris to fire into the bottom corner with nine minutes remaining but it was too little, too late.
“I wanted to give the fans a home win at the end fo the season so they can go home happy,” said Newport manager Flynn.
“They have been fantastic this season and that win was really for them.
Frank was very good out there, he scored a great goal.
“We should have scored more. We have to cut out the silly mistakes. I’ve already talked to Josh Sheehan about tracking back with his runners.
“We need to be more clinical at the other end as well because we should have scored more but we’re on a good run of form
“The boys have been fantastic.”